Fastening for handles of suit-cases, &amp;c.



No. 773,835. I PATENTED NOV. 1, 1904.

' P. H. WHITE.

FASTENING FOR HANDLES 0F SUIT GASES, &c.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1904. NO MODEL.

UNirnn STATES Patented November 1, 1904.

ATENT Fries.

FASTENING FOB HANDLES OF SUIT-CASES, 81,0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,835, dated November 1, 1904.

Application filed July 18, 1904:.

T0 ctZZ whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, FRANK H. WHITE, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fastenings for Handles of Suit-Cases, &c., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to fasteners for handles of dress-suit cases, satchels, valises, grips, and other traveling-bags.

The object of the invention is to provide a fastening that will combine security and attractiveness.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described, and particularly set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention attached to a section of a suitcase. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with one end sectioned on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the parts of the fastener. Fig. i is a section on line 4i 4:, Fig. 2.

a designates the top of the case. The handle, preferably of leather, consists of the central holding or gripping portion Z), the flat heads 0 c at the ends of the handle, and the neck portions (Z (Z, connecting the respective heads with the holding portion.

The fastener embodying my invention consists of the top portion 6 and the side portions f. The edge 9 of the top portion adjoining the holding portion 7) of the handle is preferably somewhat upturned. The end it of the top portion adjacent to the head a is substantially fiat or slopes somewhat downwardly and projects laterally out beyond the side portions f, so as to overhang a part of the head 0. Preferably this projecting and overhanging end It has a conveXly-curved edge 2'. The side portions are each made of atapering shape, the taper being preferably gradual and uniform from a point contiguous to the top portion 6 to a point a short distance above its lower end. The lower end of each side portion is preferably tapered somewhat more abruptly and to a point to facilitate the in- Serial No. 216,973. (No model.)

sertion of the side portions through the top a of the case.

The top portion 6 of the fastener is provided with an orifice Z0, which may be either formed in the process of forming the fastener or stamped out by a subsequent operation. This orifice is preferably substantially square or rectangular.

Z is a sheet of leather beneath the top portion a and of greater area than the orifice, so as to underlie that part of the top portion 6 surrounding and adjacent to the orifice k.

m is a plate, either of wood or metal, prefably of the form of and of slightly smaller dimensions than the orifice 7a. This plate is located immediately beneath the orifice and is of such thickness that when the fastener is in position on the neck (Z of the handle it will be preferably forced partially into the orifice or lie immediately below the plane of the lower face of the top portion 6 of the fastening, so as to force the leather into the orifice and hold it securely in position, causing the upper surface of the leather to lie nearly or quite flush with or somewhat above the upper face of the top portion, dependent upon the thickness of the leather or the thickness of the plate m, or both. Y

As additional security for the leather it may be glued near its edges to the overhanging and abutting part of the lower face of the top portion 6 of the fastener, and the abutting faces of the plate and leather may also be glued together, although the leather will be held in position without any gluing by reason of the entrance of the plate within the orifice or the confinement of the leather and plate between the top portion 6 of the fastoner and the neck d of the handle.

It will be understood that the ornamental effect is not per .96 any part of this invention, which relates to the means whereby the leather (which in combination with the metallic body of the fastener produces the ornamental effeet) is held in position. For the leather sheet may be substituted a sheet of any other suitable flexible material.

The overhanging end h of the fastener performs the important function of holding the relatively flat and thin head 0 firmly in position against the top a of the case, effectually preventing the head being ripped off when subjected to hard usage, as when carried on railroads as baggage. Such overhanging portion also contributes to the strength of the fastener as a whole.

The tapered side portions of the fastener with their smooth edges and the consequent absence of any shoulder or offsets to limit the downward descent of the fastener enables the fastener to be used in connection with handles having neck portions of varying thickness.

When the side portions of the fastener are passed through the top a of the case a suflicient distance to cause the fastener to thoroughly bind down the neck (Z of the handle and securely compress the plate in and leather Zbetween the neck and the top portion 0 of the fastener, the lower ends of the side portions f, projecting beneath the top a, are bent in toward the lower face of the top (a, so as to securely hold the fastener in posit-ion. Any means of securing the fastener to the body of the case may, however, be utilized. If desired, these lower ends of the fastener may be passed through a slotted washer a, which is held against the lower face of the top a by bending the lower ends of the fastener against the Washer.

The portion of the fastener uniting the top portions and side portions is preferably curved to substantially conform to the curve of the neck (Z embraced by the fastener.

Having now fully described my invention, What 1 claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. A fastener for bag-handles having a gripping portion and flat end heads connected thereto by necks, said fastener consisting of a top portion and two side portions adapted to embrace the neck, said top portion having an integral outwardly-extending overhanging end adapted to overlie the part of the head adjacent to the neck, substantially as described.

2. A fastener for bag-handles having a gripping portion and flat end heads connected thereto by necks, said fastener consisting of side portions adapted to embrace the sides of the neck and a top portion connecting the'side portions, said top portion being adapted tooverlie the neck and having its inner end upturned and adapted to lie contiguous to the gripping portion of the handle, the outer end of said top portion being prolonged laterally substantially beyond the side portions and adapted to overlie the part of the head adjacent to the neck, the said lateral prolongation having a convexly-curved edge, substantially as described.

3. A fastener for handles comprising an orificed top portion and two side portions, the top portion having an integral overhanging end projecting laterally beyond the adjacent edges of theside portions, and sloping somewhat downwardly toward its edge, substantially as described.

i. A fastener for handles comprising a top portion and two side portions, the top portion being provided with an orifice, a sheet of flexible material adapted to extend into the orifice and a plate underlying said flexible sheet and adapted to hold the flexible sheet in position.

5. A fastener for handles, comprising a top portion and two side portions, the top portions being provided with an orifice, a sheet of flexible material extending from beneath Within said orifice and of greater dimensions than the orifice so that its edges underlie that part of the top portion adjacent to and surrounding said orifice, and a plate of substantially the dimensions of the orifice underlying the flexible sheet and in alinement with said orifice and adapted to project and hold said flexible material within said orifice, substantially as described.

6. A bag-handle having a gripping portion and flat end heads connected thereto by necks, in combination with fasteners each comprising a top portion'and side portions embracing one of said necks, the top portion having an integral overhanging end adapted to overlie the part of the head adjacent to said neck, substantially as described.

7. A bag-handle having a gripping portion and flat end heads connected thereto by necks, in combination With fasteners each comprising a top portion and side portions embracing one of said necks, the edge of the top portion adjacent to the gripping portion of the handle being upturned while the opposite end of the top portion overlies the part of the head adjacent to said neck, substantially as described.

8. A bag-handle having a gripping portion and heads connected thereto by necks, in combination With fasteners each comprising a top portion and side portions, the top portion being orificed and a sheet of flexible material held within said orifice, substantially as described.

9. A bag-handle having a gripping portion and heads connected thereto by necks, in combin ation, with fasteners each comprising a top portion and side portions, the top portion being provided With an orifice and a sheet of flexible material, confined beneath the top portion of the fastener, of greater area than the orifice and whose edges underlie the part of the top portion adjacent to and surrounding said orifice, said flexible material extending within said orifice, substantially as described.

10. A bag-handle having a gripping portion and heads connected thereto by necks, in combination with fasteners each comprising a top portion and side portions, the top portion being provided with an orifice, a'sheet of flexible material within the fastener and of greater area than the orifice, and a plate above the neck and beneath the flexible sheet and of substantially the form and dimensions of said orifice, whereby the plate and flexible sheet are confined between the neck and the fastener-top, while the plate projects and holds the flexible material within said orifice, substantially as described.

11. A bag-handle having a gripping portion and flat end heads connected thereto by necks, in combination with fasteners each comprising an orificed top portion and two side portions, the top portion of each fastener having a laterally-projecting end overhanging its corresponding head, and a sheet of flexible material confined Within the fastener and a portion whereof extends within said orifice, substantially as described.

12. A bag-handle having a gripping portion and flat end heads connected thereto by necks, in combination with fasteners each comprising an orificed top portion having an integral laterally-projecting end overlying its corresponding head and tWo side portions tapered from about their junction with the top portion toward their lower ends, a sheet of flexible material and a plate beneath said sheet both of Which are confined between the neck of the handle and the top portion of the fastener, the plate projecting and holding the flexible material within said orifice, substantially as described.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand at Philadelphia on this 15th day of July, 1904.

FRANK H. WHITE. Witnesses:

M. M. HAMILTON, WILLIAM B. MARKS. 

